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Harvey Reese Associates - Money4ideas.com

Well, I did receive my reply as promised in about 3 weeks. "SHOCKER"! I did not get the licensing deal. I don`t think it was a total waste of the $185, but I did see several of the same boilerplate comments that others have posted in their blogs about the reply they received. He seems to have a good system in place to make the submitter feel like they got their money`s worth. that is why people continue to submit. I don`t think I will do it again. My idea is not "patentable" but it is copyrighted and protected as much as possible. He gave me feedback on the ability to market it myself vs. licensing it to a manufacturer. Both were mediocre chances according to Harvey. It is good to get this from an outside source, and I am going to prove him wrong. As always, take the negative to a positive level. I will consider this a setup for my success. Good luck to all that obtain these services. From what I can see, all he licences is Dollar store novelties that are the bulk of the crap that America buys and discards. That is a good market to enter if you have the stomach for creating crap. There is definitely good money in it though!!

I contacted them also and I sent a inquiry, and payed $ 185.
I have recieved an answer, I can assume the type of product was to high level and so no interest to them. So i am searching to bring my product -development to market.

Harvey makes money from ads and evaluation fees, and maybe from licensing inventors` products. He gets the $185 for glancing at your idea. Once in a blue moon there`s a good idea that he could help to license for a good cut of the royalty. It`s almost like "Money for Nothing" because he manages to sell his "expertise", once he established his success with his ideas long time ago. Yes people pay "experts" dearly, so experts exist to take their money.

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So people forget the second part of "there`s a sucker born every minute..."

"and two to take advantage of him". So it goes.

Harvey is apparently successful with toy-type of invention. He sells himself very well. That`s the secret of most consultants, as they say, are the one who borrow your watch to tell you what time it is, and send you a bill for it.

Pilgrim, you`re may be right about me having my plate full, and Harvey doesn`t. He works in low tech areas that takes little work, whereas I work in high tech. But mind you that I have low tech inventions too, but applied to big-ticket items, like solar energy systems. I`m just very green, and love it.

---Go Green and put more money onto your bottom line with award-winning LED-based light bulbs PearlLED. If you manage a good sized store/business and want to boost the bottom line, call us!

I`m not critical of Harvey, just share my insights about inventions and "invention promotion" firms.

I remember I corresponded with Harvey once. He does well getting paid for screening ideas sent to him, and from his 40% cut of royalties for the few ideas that he helps sell license for. He`s even honest about NOT dealing with high-tech products because he`s not qualified for them.

No I don`t do licensing deals for toys but I do manufacture simple devices and sell them. My specialty is simplification of many things I see as "high entropy" or simply said, too complicated for the job.

You may have read about my cost-reduction in solar PV installations, but can`t figure out how I do it. We`re going to franchise my system to major PV installers.

I don`t need to know about your invention but I`m curious - naturally, and my many connections could help me helping you. VIPs email me all the times. Even the ambassador of Vietnam wanted to see me at his luncheon but I refused because I don`t want to spend such a time for his pleasure.

So if you want to hear my opinion, email me for an NDA as you should always with strangers before showing me something. I don`t do it for money but for fun. Maybe I shouldn`t. But I still post a lot here, as entertainment I guess. That`s easier than tackling a major project late at night.

I hope you benefit from Harvey`s book. I did pay for one from Dave Barbarich, who now becomes full-time scammer. His invention was "finger-tip soldering iron" I haven`t seen anywhere. To me DAve was a small-time inventor turned "scammer of inventors". I hate such people. He owns "Invention Publishing Corp" and many other scamming firms. An example of people drawn into the dark side because of greed for money.

Edit: I googled "invention publishing" and found them as first link.

Innovator74/20/2008 2:33 AM

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Glad you folks have commented. I`ve just payed the $185 to Reese Associates because I suspect he is legit and is not listed on bad lists that I know of. I agree that it`s a minimal investment and that his information is very possibly worth that much even if he passes on my idea.

My question is if he does not pass, and offers a contract, what is a fair fee if the idea promises to go big? I`ve heard ten to fifty percent of all immediate and all future earnings in his literature. I think 10 or 15% is reasonable, but find 50% unacceptable. Does anyone know what the most reasonable percentage should be paid a licensing firm if they prove successful? (I do like that Reese doesn`t require any more money if he accept the idea for promotion.)

I appreciate your response, Innovator7, but I`ve read his book and ----except for the 50% of every royalty for all time, which is one of his examples of a contract in the back of his book (f--- that), he`s been very upfront about, and even generous with, really good advice for how to go about it oneself. I just don`t have the money to fairly persue the steps required. I`m sure you`re right that negotiating is absolutely necessary; only, I don`t know where to draw the line, and, if necessary, refuse his "best offer" were he to see it worth taking the whole way. What I need is advice from someone who knows where one should hold one`s ground, at any cost (regarding fair compensation), even if losing the one representative who really knows how to make it happen. The fact that he doesn`t ask for any further money once--however rarely--he deems it worth going forward with, is very much indicative of legitimacy flags I`ve read one should look for. It`s REALLY a good idea that has VAST, worldwide application---and, there`s nothing like it anywhere that I`ve been able to discover. It`s better than, say, garage door openers, for instance. It`s something every person in a home will appreciate every day for one`s life time. I just don`t wanna go in blind. If it`s as big as I know it to be, 10 or 15/% is more than fair. It`s really one of those things that is so obviously needed, ---like the importance of having an S trap under sinks to keep sewer air from coming up into the home is obvious---that it will sell itself--no question. I`m just not a business sort and don`t really trust people who are all about money. Sigh.

Thanks for the consideration Innovator7, but it appears your plate is full, insofar as 1Solar being in its formative years, focused in getting funding, etc. My hope was and is to gain helpful information regarding industry standards to do with licensing agent fees, particularly when there`s not much selling, nor even much development to be done. To be sure, a good agent knows the ropes and methodology to have an idea seen and considered by the one`s able to sign off and implement new design strategies when an obvious upgrade is presented. It`s just that, once presented, the agent would---understandably-- love to siphon away as much profit as possible, even as much as goes to the actual inventor of the innovative idea. While I strongly believe in an agent getting their due, I am not interested in being taken advantage of via the temptation to sign on the dotted line because "something is better than nothing" (speaking of a sucker born every minute). None the less, I do seek to know what is reasonable compensation among people who know the true standards and necessary variables. But, even beyond that, I am interested in working with individuals who esteem integrity and honor beyond profit. Rare indeed, though pretense of deep integrity is Basic Business 101, whether authentic or not. That`s an odd thing to say on an entrepreneur site. I`m a huge Warren Buffett fan, not because he`s gotten rich, but because he`s done it with such class.

I think that`s the case. He seems very straight forward. He may not choose to go with one`s idea, and he may make most of his money from folks submitting their ideas for consideration, but that doesn`t mean he`s not capable of successfully promoting an idea he finds practicable and worth his while. My desire is to be prepared, in case a contract is offered, to know what may be negotiated insofar as reasonable fees--specific to the project under consideration. I simply have no idea what is a most equitable and fair percentage, even in general terms, especially if the idea is sound and the implementation is relatively easy. Still hoping for tips on reasonable range of percentage fee--and duration of time an agent fairly collects-- for an agent licensing a good idea with far ranging potential. ( I realize that`s every inventor`s fantasy, that one`s idea is what the world been waiting for and just didn`t realize it, but, in this case the idea really is a no brainer.)

Hello, again. Congratulations on the 1st place recognition for your one step converter design. Your credentials appear very impressive, particularly in high tech. I`m wondering why you seem so critical of Harvey. He was kind enough to speak to me in person, once. I really only know what I read in his book; I don`t know what ideas he`s backed and or succeeded with. I only know that he presented my money`s worth in the book, including techniques and methodology for approaching companies oneself. You seem pretty harsh toward him, though I can`t really speak for or against him. I only know it was worth $185 just to hear from a hopefully honest professional is the business regarding my idea; or, at least I hope it shall prove worthwhile. I`m a poor writer, so even that amount is hard to part with. At the very least, Harvey helped me drop the chasing after expensive patents etc.,etc. and focus on the licensing idea (never occurred to me) as a more reasonable approach to going forward. Makes alot of sense to me. My name is Bill. My phone is 303 378 0109

While that would seem to be true, and is possibly so. Harvey`s book proclaims that one CAN get a contract to license, and that the company who needs the idea will pay for the patent in your name as part of the contract to use the idea. If I recall, there are safeguards to protect the idea, even if not patented. Harvey explains these themes in detail in his book: How To License Your Million Dollar Idea. Until his proclaimations and assertions and methodology are specifically affirmed or credibly discounted, I think it only fair to say I think Harvey`s probably correct---especially if handled as described in his book.

On the other hand, he gives very credible information regarding the difficulties and expenses involved in gaining the patent(s) and then still having to find manufacturers, etc. Harvey does warrant that the smarter way is to get the companies to arrange for the patents in your name, which can be done according to his method of establishing oneself as the source of the idea. I`m sorry I can`t recollect the specifics--but do recall it made sense and seemed the smarter and cheaper way to go, by far.

His book is remarkable, even if it all about bringing in clients for "condidering your idea". $185 is alot for many or most beginning inventors. Seemed a good first step, considering other first options.

I have heard of them and researched them a little, from what I understand he is very good, but also very picky about the products he takes on. I believe that we submitted a product to him very early on, he passed. Big mistake for Harvey. Anyway, from what I hear, he is reliable.

I have to say that I agree with Gary. Unless of course you licensed the Beanie Baby, the Chia Pet, The Garden Weasel, or just about any product that you see Billy Mays pushing on TV. These people have all made a very, very healthy living for themselves. They all have patent issued though!